1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image formation device and a recording agent cartridge attached to the image formation device. More specifically the invention pertains to an image formation device that uses recording agents of multiple colors to form a color image on a medium like paper, as well as to an image formation device that uses a recording agent to form an image on a medium like paper. The invention also pertains to a recording agent cartridge that is attached to the image formation device and is filled with a recording agent of one of multiple colors used to form a color image, as well as to a recording agent cartridge that is attached to the image formation device and is filled with a recording agent used to form an image.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A printer with a toner cartridge having a storage element attached thereto has been proposed as an image formation device (see, for example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open Gazette No. 2001-305920). This prior art printer establishes electrical connection with a storage element of a toner cartridge attached thereto and counts up the number of printed sheets, which is stored as a piece of information in the storage element, on completion of each image printing. When the toner cartridge is detached from the printer, information, such as the count of printed sheets, stored in the storage element of the toner cartridge is sent to a computer at a service center connecting with the printer via a communication line. Such information is used for the accounting procedure by the computer at the service center.
In this prior art printer, the toner cartridge attached to the printer is not moved in the printing process. This keeps the electrical connection between the printer and the storage element of the toner cartridge. In the structure of moving the toner cartridge in the printing process, however, there is difficulty in keeping the electrical connection between the printer and the storage element of the toner cartridge. For example, in a color laser printer that prints a color image by a single photoreceptor system, respective color toner images are formed on a photoreceptor with movement of four color toner cartridges, cyan, magenta, yellow, and black. This system makes it difficult to keep the electrical connection between the color printer and the storage element of each toner cartridge. Especially in the case of rotation of such four color toner cartridges received in a rotary body, it is impossible to keep the electrical connection between the color printer and the storage element of each toner cartridge. One possible countermeasure causes the color printer to establish intermittent electrical connection with the storage element of each toner cartridge with rotation of the rotary body. This method may, however, lead to a trouble like a loose connection due to the wear of a contact. The similar problem arises in a monochromatic printer with toner cartridges of identical color toner (for example, black toner), which are attached to the printer in place of the four color toner cartridges and are used independently for image formation by multiple users.